This invention relates to a unit type curtain wall assembly comprising an array of standardized curtain wall units, and more specifically to such an assembly with provisions for the year-round temperature control or air conditioning of rooms. Still more specifically the invention pertains to means in such a unit type curtain wall assembly for sealing the gaps (mullion portions) between the horizontally neighboring ones of the curtain wall units.
Japanese Patent Application No. 57-133764, filed by the same applicant as in the present application, proposes a prefabricated curtain wall system with a built-in temperature control function. According to this system disclosed in the separate application, the vertical and horizontal frame members of the standardized curtain wall units have formed therethrough a passageway for air and another passageway for a heat transfer fluid such as cold or hot water. The heat transfer fluid gives heat the air flowing through the air passage or takes away from the air. Thus, the cool or warm air is expelled into the rooms through vents in some of the horizontal frame members.
This type of unit type curtin wall assembly with the room temperature control system has had a problem in connection with the heat insulation of the joints or seams between horizontally adjoining curtain wall units. Namely, in order to absorb displacements of the curtain wall units caused by the outside force such as, for example, earthquake, gale, etc., the opposed vertical side frame members of every two horizontally adjoining curtain wall units are slightly spaced from each other to admit of the relative displacement of the curtain wall units in their own plane. Should these vertical gaps (mullion portions) between the curtain wall units be left open, the indoor and outdoor sides of the unit type curtain wall assembly would intercommunicate therethrough with each other, to the detriment of its room temperature control capability. Further the heat energy of the fluid flowing through the side frame members of the curtain wall units would partly escape through the gaps (mullion portions) and so would not be fully utilized for room temperature control.